Cam closure



Jan. 29, 1957 D. E. HOUGHTON CAM CLOSURE Fil ed Dec. 10, 1954 mINVENTOR. 13ml E, Hougilztnza.

ATTUR/VEY A H a United States Patent CAM CLOSURE Daniel E. Houghton,Arlington, Va., assignor to the United States of America as representedby the Secretary of the Army Application December 10, 1954, Serial No.474,627

Claims. (Cl. 292-241) 2,364,206, dated December 5, 1944 and Grice, No.2,365,-

695, dated December 26, 1944.

In those and analogous closures, sheet metal bails are pivoted to theclosures and have side flanges formed with inwardly directed cams forengaging fixed cam lugs on the container. Such sheet metal bails andtheir necessary appurtenances aforesaid are relatively elaborate andmust be fabricated by relatively elaborate tools whereby they are moreexpensive than is warranted by the type of closure in question.

With the foregoing in view, it is an object of the invention to providean improved cam closure wherein the cams are fixed and are engaged byswinging cam lugs.

A further object is to provide in such a structure, a wire bail having apair of inwardly directed studs pivotally connecting it to the containeror to the closure and a second pair of inwardly directed studscomprising cam lugs which operatively engage or disengage fixed camscarried by either the closure or the container.

Other objects and advantages reside in the particular structure of theinvention, the structure of the several elements thereof, combinationsand subcombinations of such elements, all of which will be readilyapparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the attacheddrawing in connection with the following specification wherein theinvention is shown, described, and claimed.

In the drawing: i

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a closure according to theinvention together with that portion of the container to which it isapplied;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view showing the parts in the releasedposition;

Fig. 3 is a like view showing the parts in the container sealingposition;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the closure in the position of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the planeof the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring specifically to the drawings, wherein like referencecharacters designate like parts in all views, 10 designates a wall of acontainer having an opening 11 formed therethrough which is defined byan upstanding neck 12, the upper edge of which is formed to provide abead 13 which fixedly clamps a sput 14 about the neck 12. The sput 14includes the usual horizontal flange 15 flatly seating atop the wall 10and an upstanding neck 16 which embraces the container neck 12 below thebead 13. The upper edge of the neck 16 is outwardly directed to providean upper flange 17. Oppositely disposed portions of the flange 17 areformed to provide downwardly extending fixed cams 18 which may beradially outwardly 2,779,516 Patented Jan. 29, 1957 indicated at 20 andis a plug which may be cup shaped in configuration to provide a floor 21and a cylindrical side wall 22. The side wall 22 may be formed with anexternal peripheral groove 23 which is oversized in vertical directionswith respect to an O-ring 24 seated therein for relative verticalmovement. The upper edge of the side Wall 22 is radially outwardlydirected to provide an annular flange 25. Opposite portions of theflange 25 are radially extended as at 26 and then downwardly directed toprovide bail cars 27 which are formed with circular holes 28therethrough. Any suitable sealing gasket 29 is secured to the undersideof the flange 25.

The operating device for the closure 20 comprises a bail 30 whichincludes substantially parallel opposite ends providing legs 31terminating in angularly directed feet 32 which are coplanar with atleast said legs 31. Radially inwardly directed studs 33 are integralwith said bail 30 and may be conveniently located at the intersectionsof the legs 31 with the feet 32. The feet 32 are formed with radiallyinwardly directed and aligned free ends providing cam lug studs 34 whichare preferably disposed in parallel offset relation to the aligned studs33 aforesaid. Such studs 34 preferably are of circular cross section asshown.

In operation, and as best seen in Figs. 2, 3, and 5, the aligned studs33 are pivotally seated in the holes 28 of the bail cars 27 of theclosure 20. The feet 32 extend unidirectionally along the outer surfacesof the bail ears 27 so that the cam lug studs 34 are located beyond theedges of the bail ears. The plug or closure 20 is inserted in the neck12 so that the bail cars 27 are radially outwardly aligned with the cams18. In this position and with the parts in the unseated position of Fig.2 with bail 30 elevated, the aligned free ends or cam lug studs 34 maybe passed through the openings 19 formed in the sput flange 17 aforesaidupon swinging of the bail 30 downwardly in a clockwise direction asindicated in broken lines in Fig. 2. This operation causes the cam lugs34 to engage the cam surfaces 35 of the cams 18 and continued movementin a clockwise direction seats the cam lug on the dwell portions 36 ofthe cams 18. This operation has seated plug 20 and has also drawn thegasket 29 into sealed engagement with the bead 13 as clearly illustratedin Figs. 3 and 5.

The O-ring 24 functions in a well known manner in its groove 33 in thatit moves vertically and is distorted into sealing engagement with thejoints upon fluctuations of pressure within the container in a Wellknown manner. This structure forms no part of the invention and may beomitted if desired.

While I have shown and described what is now thought to be a preferredembodiment of the invention it should a be remembered that the same issusceptible of other forms and expressions. Consequently, I do not limitmyself to the precise structure shown and described hereinabove exceptas hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A cam closure for a container including a con tainer opening and atleast two fixed cams'on opposite sides of said opening, comprising aplug adapted to fit in said container opening, an annular flangeextending radially outwardly of said plug, diametrically oppositeportions of said flange being formed with radially outwardly directedextensions, said extensions terminating in downwardly directed bail earsdisposed in radially outwardly spaced relation to said plug, a wire bailincluding a pair of radially inwardly directed and aligned studspivotally connected to said bail ears, and said bail including a secondpair of radially inwardly directed studs in offset parallel relation tosaid first pair of studs,-said second pair votstuds being disposedradially outwardly of vsaid bail ears .and having freeuends disposedadjacent said plug, and said free ends providing cam lugs adapted toengage said fixed cams onsaid container.

2. A cam closure for a container including a container opening and atleast two fixed cams on opposite sides of said opening, comprising aplug adapted to fit in said container opening, an annular flangeextending radially outwardly of said plug, diametrically oppositeportions of said flange being formed with radially outwardly.directedvextensions, said extensions terminating in downwardly directedbail ears disposed in radially outwardly spaced relation to said plug, awire bail, said bail having substantially parallel end portionsproviding legs, a foot extendng angularly of each leg in flatlyoverlying relation to the adajcent bail ear, a pair of radially inwardlydirected and aligned studs on said bail, there being a stud at .theintersection of each foot and leg, a recess formed in each bailearpivotally receiving a stud therein whereby to provide a pivotalconnection between said bail and closure, said feet extendingunidirectionally beyond said bail ears in parallel coplanar relation,saidfeet having radially inwardly directed free ends providing cam lugsdisposed adjacent said plug, and said lugs being adapted to engage saidfixed cams on said container.

3. A cam closure for a container, comprising a plug adapted to fit in acontainer opening, an annular flange extending radially outwardly ofsaid plug, diametrically opposite portions of said flange'being formedwith radially outwardly. directed extensions, said extensionsterminating in downwardly directed bail ears disposed in radiallyoutwardly spaced relation to said plug, a wire bail, said bail havingsubstantially parallel end portions providing legs, a foot extendingangularly of each leg in flatly overlying relation to the adjacent bailear, a pair of radially inwardly directed and aligned studs on saidbail, there being a stud at the intersection of each foot and leg, arecess formed in each bail ear pivotally receiving a stud thereinwhereby to provide a pivotal connection between said bail and closure,said feet extending unidirectionally beyond said bail ears in parallelcoplanar relation, said feet having radially inwardly directed free endsproviding cam lugs disposed adjacent said plug, a container neckdefining an openingand having a radially outwardly directed annular neckflange, said neck flange being formed with oppositely disposed camsdepending therefromiin radially outwardly spaced relation to said neck,said neck flange being formed with slots therethrough in juxtaposedrelation to like sides of said cams, and said cam lugs of said closureupon pivotal movement of said bail being located to pass through saidslots into and out of operative engagement with said cams when said plugis seated in said neck with said bail ears radially aligned with saidcams.

4. A cam closure for a container including a container opening and atleast two fixed cams on opposite sides of said opening, comprising aplug adapted to fit in said container opening, said plug including apair of diametrically opposite extensions radially outwardly thereof,said extensions including downwardly directed free ends formed toprovide bail ears located in radially outwardly spaced relation to saidplug, a wire bail including a pair of radially inwardly directed andaligned studs pivotally connected to said bail ears, and said bailincluding a second pair of radially inwardly directed studs in offsetparallel relation to said first pair of studs, said second pair of studsbeing disposed radially outwardly of said bail ears and having free endsdisposed adjacent said plug, and said free ends providing cam lugsadapted to engage said fixed cams on said container.

5. A cam closure for a container, comprising a plug adapted to fit in acontainer opening, said plug including a pair of diametrically oppositeextensions projecting radially outwardly thereof, said extensionsincluding downwardly directed free ends formed to provide bail earslocatedin radially outwardly spaced relation to said plug, a wire bailpivoted 'in said bail ears, 2. pair of cam lugs on said bail below saidbail ears and extending radially inwardly thereof, of a container neckdefining an opening and having a radially outwardly directed annularneck' 'flange, said neck flange being formed with oppositely disposedcams depending therefrom, said neck 'fiange'being formed with slotstherethrough in juxtaposed relation to like sides of said cams, and saidcam lugs of said closure upon pivotal movement of said bail located topass through said slots into and out of op erative engagement with saidcams when said plug is seated in said'neck with said bailears radiallyaligned with said cams.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS554,448 :Keil Feb. 11, 1896 1,108,765 Lawless Aug. 25, 1914 1,755,015Muller Apr. 15, 1930 2,360,351 Kuhne Oct. 17, 1944 2,572,629 Kolell Oct.23, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,458 a Great Britain 1882

